Frequently Asked Questions
Jul 11th, 2007 by EarthNC
Here are answers to a few of our frequently asked questions. If we’ve missed something, send us a note via our Contact Form.
Where did “EarthNC” get its name?
The EarthNC name is based on the acronym ‘ENC’ which means Electronic Navigation Chart. Since our charts are for Google Earth - they are ‘EarthNC’ charts. We also liked that it was similar to Earth & Sea which is part of our mission to bring nautical content to the Google Earth platform.
What charts are included in EarthNC Plus?
EarthNC Plus includes Google Earth renditions for all NOAA ENC(R) digital charts (over 600 to date). ENC coverage is not as extensive as the raster RNC coverage - but generally covers all coastal waters and most areas of the Atlantic and Gulf Intercoastal waterways.
EarthNC Plus also includes over 60 U.S. Army Corps Inland ENC charts with good coverage of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee/Tom Bigbee Waterways as well as portions of other rivers.
The EarthNC chart set is continually updated based on new releases and revisions from both NOAA and the Army Corps. These updates are available as part of the EarthNC Plus update subscription (12 months are included as part of your initial purchase).
What about other countries?
The United States chart set is somewhat unique in that the ENC data is available for reuse without a license fee. We are planning to offer other charts on a fee basis for non-U.S. areas in the future.
Does EarthNC support GPS?
Yes, we currently recommend the use of GooPs for use of a real-time GPS with the EarthNC charts. We also suggest using Google Earth Plus as an additional GPS platform. For additional options, we have posted a review of GPS programs for Google Earth on our sister website DestinSharks.com.
Does EarthNC support chart plotting?
Currently no, but it will be supported in EarthNC Pro which is scheduled to be released by July of 2007.
How do I submit individual Points-of-Interest?
Points-of-Interest can be submitted via e-mail on our Contact Form or via the ‘Submit Information’ links in the EarthNC charts. We are working on a web-based submission method to simplify this process.
I have a large list of Points-of-Interest I’d like to submit.
We are constantly looking for additional nautical content. Please contact us with a description of your data set.
Do I have to be connected to the internet to use EarthNC?
No. If you have purchased EarthNC Plus, once you have downloaded Google Earth and the EarthNC application you can use the application off-line. Google Earth allows you to set your computer’s memory “cache” so that you can save a considerable amount of photo quality detail for off-line viewing. For more information on how to take full advantage of Google Earth and EarthNC’s off line features, please refer to the EarthNC Plus installation guide.
What is the relationship between EarthNC and Google, Inc?
Google Earth is the premium platform for making vast amounts of spatial data actionable. Google Earth presents the world in an enriching, highly intuitive 3D model that helps users across many different industries understand the relationship between their data and the real world. EarthNC provides valued added data services on top of the Google Earth platform focused exclusively on the intrinsic nature of marine / navigational data. EarthNC staff bring years of experience in working with spatial, GIS, NOAA and other forms of data to help pleasure boaters and commercial fleet operators make the most of the Google Earth platform.
Is Google Earth free?
Google Earth is free for personal use. Google also offers premium versions of Google Earth (Google Earth Premium, Google Earth Pro and Google Earth Enterprise). If you’re interested in learning more about Google’s commercial products, please contact Google at 866-755-2582 option 1 (inside the US) or 650-253-6664 option 1 (outside the US).
What are the minimum configurations necessary to run EarthNC and Google Earth?
The Minimum configuration for Windows PC is:
Operating System: Windows 2000 or Windows XP
CPU: Pentium 3, 500Mhz
System Memory (RAM): 128MB
Hard Disk: 400MB free space
Network Speed: 128 Kbits/sec
Graphics Card: 3D-capable with 16MB of VRAM
Screen: 1024×768, “16-bit High Color”
and the Recommended Windows PC configuration is:
Operating System: Windows XP or Windows Vista
CPU: Pentium 4 2.4GHz+ or AMD 2400xp+
System Memory (RAM): 512MB
Hard Disk: 2GB free space
Network Speed: 768 Kbits/sec
Graphics Card: 3D-capable with 32MB of VRAM
Screen: 1280×1024, “32-bit True Color”
The Minimum configuration for Mac includes:
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.3.9
CPU: G3 500Mhz
System Memory (RAM): 256MB
Hard Disk: 400MB free space
Network Speed: 128 Kbits/sec
Graphics Card: 3D-capable with 16MB of VRAM
Screen: 1024×768, “Thousands of Colors”
And the Recommended Mac configuration includes:
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4.5
CPU: G4 1.2Ghz
System Memory (RAM): 512MB
Hard Disk: 2GB free space
Network Speed: 768 Kbits/sec
Graphics Card: 3D-capable with 32MB of VRAM
Screen: 1280×1024, “Millions of Colors”
In either case, EarthNC should run fine on “contemporary” systems, but boy, what a great excuse to go out a buy a new system!
Do you have an affiliate program?
Yes. For more detail on our affiliation and advertising programs please refer to the Advertise page on EarthNC.com or send us an email at EarthNC’s Advertising Programs.
